The United Nations Office for Sustainable Development (UNOSD) hosted the fourth annual Sustainable Development Transition Forum (SDTF) on 31 October to 2 November 2017 in Incheon, Korea.

The objective of the Forum was to achieve a better understanding of the successes and lessons in mainstreaming and implementing the 2030 Agenda at the national level within the specific context of ensuring that no one is left behind in the eradication of poverty and promotion of prosperity.

The SDTF serves as a global platform for sharing knowledge in the formulation and implementation of sustainability programmes, reviewing evidence of impact and charting new and improved pathways for implementation.

The Asia-Europe Environment Forum (ENVforum) has been an active contributor to this forum since the SDTF's inception in 2014, organising workshops and sessions part of the programme.

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The 2017 Sustainable Development Transition Forum (SDTF), entitled "SDG Mainstreaming and Means of Implementation: A Retrospective and Prospective View" took place from 31 October to 2 November 2017 in Incheon, Korea. Over 100 international participants from governments, UN agencies, think tanks, development banks and academic institutions attended the forum.

Being an active contributor to the forum since its inception in 2014, the Asia-Europe Environment Forum (ENVforum) hosted the 4th session on SDGs and Finance, building on its annual conference that was held in September 2017 in Hanoi, Viet Nam. The panellists were Mr Marek REPOVSKY, EU delegation in Seoul; Mr Sung-hwan SON, Advisory Ambassador for Green Climate Fund (GCF) Cooperation; Dr Rami AHMAD, Special Envoy on SDGs and Senior Advisor to the President, Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group; Ms Jacqueline KACPRZAK, Coordinator, Unit of CSR and Stakeholders' Affairs, Minister's Office, Ministry of Economic Development, Poland; H.E. Mr POCH Sovanndy, Deputy Director General of Planning, Ministry of Planning, Cambodia; and Mr Thierry SCHWARZ, lecturer at Sciences Po, France.

The session explored a variety of financing options for the SDGs, including Official Development Assistance (ODA), Green Climate Fund (GCF) and newer or more innovative sources of funding, including Islamic finance and various taxes. The panellists noted that while there is an ample total sum of funds available, substantial efforts to channel the funds towards financing SDGs are required. Additionally, fiscal policy instruments, such as carbon pricing, can play a vital role in achieving the 2030 Agenda.

SDTF 2017 was hosted by the United Nations Office for Sustainable Development (UNOSD). You can find 'Session 4: SDGs and Finance' presentations and more information on the forum here. More information on financing options for SDGs can be found in our publication "Who Will Pay for the Sustainable Development Goals".

The Asia-Europe Environment Forum (ENVforum) has been an active contributor to the annual Sustainable Development Transition Forum (SDTF) since its inception in 2014. This year, the forum will take place from 31 October to 2 November 2017 in Incheon, Korea, hosted by the United Nations Office for Sustainable Development (UNOSD).

SDTF 2017 aims to bridge the 2017 High Level Political Forum's (HLPF) thematic focus of "Eradicating poverty and promoting prosperity in a changing world" with the 2018 HLPF focus on "Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies", bringing special attention to SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 12 (Responsible Production and Consumption), and SDG 15 (Life on Land).

The objective of SDTF 2017 is to achieve a better understanding of successes, lessons, and specific mechanisms for initiating and fostering the profound transformation that is urgently needed to make our societies sustainable and resilient, as expressed in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. While discussing the specific thematic foci and selected SDGs of the 2017 and 2018 HLPFs, the forum will seek to achieve the right balance between the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development throughout the Forum's sessions.

This year, ENVforum will be focusing on the 4th session on SDGs and Finance, building on its annual conference held in September 2017 in Hanoi, Viet Nam. The session will discuss emerging challenges towards financing the SDGs and explore opportunities for collaborative approaches.

SDTF 2017 will welcome more than 100 international participants from governments, UN agencies, think tanks, development banks, and academic institutions.